A Will to Survive
by lemon-moon
Summary: The end of the Mog invasion left Marina spiraling in a tempest of depression and loneliness. After several months in the wilderness she has found a new purpose in teaching the new Earth Garde. Marina is eager to spread her wings, and with the help of Nine and new friends she may have a chance at a happy life on Earth, if she can learn to defeat her demons-old and new. *Dark themes
1. Homecoming

I lept off the last step of the community bus that had driven me from my hotel. There were a few people walking along the sidewalk to who knows where. Two girls sat on the bench making out. A man rode past on his bicycle gawking at them. The door of the bus slammed shut. I gave the area a quick sweep. It was habit. Eighteen years of looking behind my back, of being constantly hunted left it's toll. I stuffed my hands into the soft blue hoodie I wore, but didn't need. I wasn't affected by the cold. The clothing made me feel more comfortable. With one more look at my directions, I hurried down the sidewalk towards the Highschool where Nine was coaching the Human Garde. I was late. Very very very very late. To make matters worse this would be the first time I had seen Nine in a year and two months. Almost immediately after the Mogadorian invasion Nine had agreed to mentor the new Earth Garde. Before long John and the others followed suit. I was the last one to join.

I was too busy trying to extinguish the source of my anger. Five. I had waited near the island he hid in for weeks and weeks. One day John came and brought me to the Himalayas, I saw Ella again. Any thought of John shot a mixed feeling through me. Sickly sweet. We became close for a few weeks. It was really great, except for Five knawing on the back of my mind. I was going insane, so I left again and found him on the same island all by himself. Hoping for peace of mind I sat there waiting for my mind to snap. I wanted to kill him with my bare hands, to watch him die. It never happened. The hatred that had once fueled me had simmered down. One day I left and never went back. Instead I went back to America. I used the credit card given to us by the U.N.. I bought myself some gear and lived of the land.

Eventually John had again hunted me down with the help of, I presume, Ella. We had been talking back and forth for a while. I wasn't exactly in hiding. I just chose to lose contact with the others. I craved space and peace. John came and stayed for a while. He brought me up to speed on everything I was missing out on. He told me about the Earth Garde Program and how they could use my help. He persuaded me to take on a new assignment. Ella joined John, and I on a mission to Mexico where we spoke to President Pena about recruiting his citizens to the newly forming programming. Over the course of 8 months many people, mainly children and teens, had begun to develop Lorien's gifts. It was becoming an issue in the more densely populated areas of the world. hundreds of inexperienced Earth Garde causing mischief and upsetting their communities.

There were only 7 original Loric Garde left-Me, John, Six, Nine, Ella, Lexa and Five- Then there was Sam and Adam, who weren't original Garde, but they had real experience with leadership and legacies of their own. The goal was to spread and reach out to as many Earth Garde as we could. We were spread pretty thin. Right now Nine was taking care of North America while Ella, John, and Five were on their way to India, afterwards they would meet up with Six and Sam to visit some middle eastern countries. I didn't want to go for two obvious reasons-One of which being because of Five being there. John had pulled his "I am the reincarnation of Pittacus Lore B.S." to convince everyone to utilize Five in helping out the new Garde. The second reason was because the last time I had been to India Eight was there, alive and well. I got to see him again, said goodbye...got my closure. Yet, his memory still cut at me. His death was an unhealable wound.

John was right, he moved me to keep going forward, to use my legacies to jump start the new Lorien. Which led me to right now. After checking in at the gates and narrowly escaping a very awkward situation with the security guards who looked star struck to meet me, I led myself down a long hallway. A few posters covered the walls.

I could hear the sounds of cheering and laughter. A few feet from the door I heard a shrill whistle sliced through the air. When I walked through the open double doors and to the edge of a small balcony. Beneath me I saw the top of Nine's head and at least forty people of different ages, and genders.

"Alright Maggots!" Nine shouted. "Ten more laps and you can hit the showers!"

The Earth Garde took off to run a round the massive gym that had been made for the new students.

"Except you Gutierrez! one hundred laps!"

A boy a couple years older than Nine stopped for a minute, gave a salute, then took off again. His name was Hidalgo, and he had super speed just like Nine. I remember meeting him in Mexico city.

Finally he turned and faced me. He turned and walked somewhere underneath the balcony. I took a step back and was about to meet him at the bottom of the stairs, but instead he had walked up the wall. He climbed over the rails and stood right in front of me. He looked incredibly healthy, his hair was neatly tied back and he gave me a very big, welcoming smile. The kind that could melt hearts,

"Someone's late." He said. His eyes burned with fondness. I could feel the old part of me melt a bit, so happy to be with my own again. There was another newer part of me that froze. Hardened by a year of near solitude and pain.

"I overslept."

Nine checked the time on his phone. "Damn-what time did you go to sleep."

"Twelve."

"Midnight?"

"Uh-no."

I saw a look of concern flash in his eyes. For a moment he stood in front of me, taking me in. I had an idea of what he was looking at. A darker, skinnier version of what I used to be, dark circles around my eyes and who knows what else. I shifted uncomfortably and he cleared his throat. He looked uncertain for a moment, shifting his feet too.

"Ah, come here." He opened his arms and wrapped me in a very welcoming embrace. He was so warm. I could feel myself tearing apart at the seams.

"You look like hell." He mumbled into my hair.

I burst out a laugh. I didn't doubt that one bit.

"Well, you missed out on today's drills...but we can still at least introduce you to the group."

"Yeah. That sounds good." I agreed. We broke apart. Turning away from him I walked up to the balcony to look at the running group. "How are they so far?"

Nine shrugged. "Eh, could be better. I've really whipped them into shape."

"Nice. It seems they gave you some decent resources."

"Yeah, and right now they are setting me up a penthouse identical to the one in Chicago. I got to go over there and salvage somethings"

The American Government had been super supportive when it came to funding anything having to do with the shaping of new Garde. Ella explained it had to do with staying on top of the potential of new assets. It had even offered immediate citizenship to anyone with legacies, they are currently working on extending the citizenship to the families of those with legacies. Of course, some people weren't to happy about just allowing anyone into the country, Legacy or not. It was all in the works...

"Are you going to move there-once they are done I mean?"

"Hell yeah, hotel life is alright and all-lot's of parties and good stuff like that." Nine sighed loudly and brought his arms up to stretch."-But...I'm totally ready to own my own space again. I haven't called a place home in months. PICK UP THE PACE WOULD YA!"

I cringed at his outburst.

"I have to keep them on their toes." Nine explained.

I laughed, something I rarely did now.

"What?"Nine asked.

"Nothing, it's just that, the job really suits you."

"Because I'm a jackass. I don't take no lip."

"Profesor!" A voice called behind us. "I am sorry to interrupt."

"Did you finish your laps Gutierrez? All one hundred?"

"Si Profesor.

"Awesome, go ahead and meet us downstairs for a group meeting."

"Okay." Hidalgo nodded and with a quick glance at me he disappeared down the steps.

"They should be on their last lap by now."

The group was scattered around the perimeter-Some people were more out of shape than the others. I could tell that others weren't running as fast as they could. No one was walking, however.

"Come on." Nine stepped up on the balcony and extended his hand to me.

I looked at his hand and took a step back towards the stairs. "No thanks, I'll take the stairs." I turned and headed in that direction. I heard Nine's feet drop back to the floor, he decided to go with me.

"This isn't as cool of an entrance as you climbing down the wall."

"I'm not that cool anyway."

"What?!" Nine protested. "If you can save the planet and not deserve the title 'cool' then that means I'm not cool."

"I didn't do that by myself..."

"Neither did I and I'm cool as fuck."

At the bottom of the stairs several members of the group waited in scattered groups, many were talking amongst each other, some were chugging their bottles of water.

Hidalgo was sitting on the floor with another guy, talking happily. We were waiting on four people to finish their laps.

"Alright!" Nine shouted. "Bring it in, bring it in!

"Yes, daddy!" A girl chirped, causing her friends to giggle. If Nine heard her he made no reaction.

"Good hustle today everyone, good hustle. Whitaker, I can see you're improving."

"Thanks, boss." Whitaker, a gangly teenager, nodded. Allowing himself to smile appreciatively.

"Chopra, don't think I didn't notice your feet leave the ground."

Nine continued to call out his group while he waited, he called them all by their last names.

"Is that Marina?" One girl called Garrison had asked.

"I will introduce her in a minute."

I felt everyone's eyes on me. I swallowed hard.

Nine was about two feet away from me talking to the oldest guy in the group, Warren.

 _What are you doing?_ Ella was in my head talking.

 _I am waiting to meet Nine's group._ I tried my best to send a mental picture her way.

 _Cool._ She replied. _I'm so bored. John is talking to the minister._

 _Is everything going okay?_

 _Yeah. Everyone is very friendly. I learned a few words._

I wondered what Five was doing.

 _Five hasn't shut up the whole trip_. Ella replied, reading my private thoughts. _I could hear the exhaustion through Ella's mind._

 _What's he saying?_

 _Anything. He just blabs._

 _I'm sorry._

 _How is Nine?_

 _Good. He is talking to the group right now._

 _Tell him I miss him._

 _Can't you just tell him yourself?_

She was silent for a moment.

 _Ella?_

 _I'd rather you tell him, it would seem too pushy coming from me._

 _I'll tell him._

 _Thanks._

"Okay!" Nine clapped his hands. "Everyone, this is Number Seven but you can call her Marina. As you all know she was born on Lorien just like me. She was a part of the group that directly made what each of you can do possible. She brought the contents of our Loric chests and dumped them into an ancient well"

I was touched by how interested everyone looked.

Nine stepped back a bit and gave me a go ahead look.

"It's nice to meet you all, I do remember a few of you from Mexico City."

"Are you going to be helping coach Nine out?" Chopra asked.

"Yes." I nodded. "I look forward to it."

Beep Beep Beep. Nine's phone went off. It was Eight O'clock.

"Okay guys and gals-You're dismissed. You can personally introduce yourselves to Marina during the next couple of sessions.

Everyone made a break towards their bags. Hidalgo appeared next to me.

"Marina! Que bueno verle de nuevo!

"It's nice to see you again too." I replied in english.

"This is mi Primo, Teddy."

"Mucho Gusto." Teddy nodded. They both had the same color of dark brown eyes and curly black hair. Teddy was much lighter in complexion than his cousin.

"Mucho gusto."

"What's your legacy?" I asked Teddy.

To answer my question Teddy lifted his water bottle up to his chin and let go. Rather than fall to the ground it floated a bit unsteadily until he caught it with his hand.

"Telekenesis...very nice any other ones?"

"Gracias. y no...I have not discovered any otro superpotencias o legacies." Teddy said proudly. "Que es tu-what are your powers?"

Suddenly there was a crowd around me, a few people had hustled out of here and a few were talking to Nine. I swallowed and tried to hide my anxiousness from my voice.

"I can heal any wound-"

A chorus of appraisal rung through the gym.

"Whoa!"

"Nice"

"I'm jealous."

"Can you heal this?" A hand was thrust infront of me. A splint was holding his middle finger straight.

"That's easy." I took his hand and felt him tense up when he felt the tingle that my healing legacy produces. Once I let him go he quickly took off his bandages and bent the finger every way he could. He then turned to a woman on his right and flipped her off.

"Check it out Ana."

Her face broke into a huge grin "Don't make me break it again."

I didn't know what to do when everyone broke out into applause-

"Do you have multiple powers too?" A voice out of the crowd asked.

"Well, telekenisis-I can breathe underwater-

"What?!"

"Ooh"

"Has it come in handy?"

"Yes, actually. I first discovered it when I was pushed into a lake. I got trapped under a dock and would have drowned without it.

"S**t..." A voice cussed.

Everyone was quiet so I took that as cue to continue. "I can see in the dark and I can...uh manipulate ice."

"Like Elsa?" A tall man in the back asked?"

"Like who?" I asked.

"Elsa! the disney princess! My kids love her."

I shook my head-I had no idea what they were talking about.

A woman in the back raised her hand up and slowly reached for the ceiling. "Let it gooo, let it gooo..." Her voice blew me away. People began to sing with her. A few people looked around lost, including Hidalgo and Teddy. "Turn away and slam the door! I don't care what their going to say...let the storm raaaage onnnnnnn! THE COLD NEVER BOTHERED ME ANYWAY!"

I didn't know how to react.

"uh.."

Everyone erupted into laughter and applause-again.

I looked at Nine who stood several feet away with his hands on his hips. He found my confused gaze, shrugged and rolled his eyes. I could see he was amused though.

"Can you like." The girl made several motions with her hands. "Shoot out ice?"

"Yes." I nodded. "It's something like that."

"Do it!"

My stomach twisted in my gut. I hadn't used the power in a long time, not in that way atleast.

"Not today...maybe another ti-."

"Come on! Let it go!" Shouted the same girl who had started singing a minute ago.

"I-" I tried to protest.

"Hey! She clearly doesn't want to!." The older man, Warren, had argued.

"Yeah, respect that!"

"It's okay." Chopra said ernestly.

Nine came to stand next to me. "Alright you freaks! It's time to clear out. Rusty needs to clean the gym."

"?Vienes Manana?" Teddy asked.

"Yes, I will be back tomorrow."

Teddy nodded. He and Hidalgo turned to leave.

I heard many goodbyes. I felt really happy.

Three girls approached Nine-"See ya tomorrow boo!" The one in front wiggled her fingers in goodbye. She was really pretty. Dark brown eyes, full, dusty pink lips. They strutted away.

"Skedaddle!" Nine ordered lightly.

"Ty-ty you flirt too much!" I heard her friend accuse.

"'Boo?'" I asked.

Nine shook his head and changed the subject. "They aren't a bad group, hm? Could you throw away that water bottle?" His hands were full with trash.

There was an empty water bottle laying on the ground. I picked up with my legacy and led it over and into the trash can. "They seem really excited."

I followed Nine over to the wall where he reached down to pick up his gym bag.

"They've really improved, I'm almost proud of the freaks."

I bit my lip and then sighed.

"What?" Nine asked.

"Do you...have to call them mean things like that?"

Nine frowned and began walking towards the door.

"I say things like that to-to-hey Rusty."

Rusty, an older man bent over the cleaning cart that he was pushing into the door way. I had to jump out of the way.

"Hi." He barked in a very unfriendly tone.

"Have a goodnight buddy!" Nine called over his shoulder.

We walked down a dim hallway for a moment. It was probably darker than I knew of because of my legacy.

"I call them stuff like that to thicken their skin." He admitted. "The first few weeks were hard because everyone was afraid. They felt like...like freaks..."

"The gift of Lorien is amazing." I said, confused as to why they would have negative thoughts about receiving legacies. "There is no reason they should have felt ashamed."

"Their planet, wasn't prepared for all of this...already there are all kinds of protests and organizations forming." Nine held a glass door open for me. "They have all these movies about earth people getting super powers, and in a lot of them the Earth Garde-er superheroes-X-men-whatever-they go through a lot of shit and hate." He turned and locked the door behind him. "They need to feel safe and encouraged. Just like we did."

I took in what he said. I remember being in the convent. I had no one to help me out, my cepan wasn't there to guide my developing legacies. That really held me back.

"So you call them names to-"

"To get them used to hearing it, so they won't get too stuck on it if some jackass decides to hassle them. Some of them even wear the name like a badge of honor or some shit."

"Oh."

"How did you get here?" Nine asked as he turned in a circle looking for another vehicle in the parking lot other than his own.

"I took the bus."

"Don't you have a vehicle or something?"

"No. I don't have a license."

"Neither do I-they don't care."

"I don't like driving anyway."

Nine grunted and hit a button to unlock his car. It was black and angled. It reminded me of a panther.

"Well, come on-I don't mind giving you a ride home."

Part of me wanted to walk home, it was a nice night. The air was crowded with wafting smells coming from expensive restaurants. At the same time I really craved company. I slid inside the car onto smooth, gray leather. It had that new car smell. I put my seatbelt on, Nine didn't. He turned the key in the ignition and the car roared to life. The leather was so smooth, I couldn't help but to run my hands up and down it. The seats seemed to mold into my body perfectly. Nine pushed a button and almost immediately I could feel the seat warming up.

"I'm starving, how about we stop for something to eat?"

"I'm really not hungry." I lied.

Nine nodded. "It's cool." He put his car in gear and headed for the exit.

Turning my attention to the bright lights of the city, I took in the tall buildings and shiny cars weaving in and out of traffic. The car's engine purred rhythmically, tugging at the sleepiness that quickly began to weigh me down.

"San Francisco is really nice." I murmured, tapping my feet to try and stay awake.

"Yeah. It's a shame we nearly destroyed it."

I frowned at that, we never intended to destroy anything...

"We did more good than bad." I said.

Nine glanced at me then looked back at the road. "We saved their planet and now we are working together to make it better."

I nodded.

"They couldn't make me feel guilty for anything-and they don't."

Nine slowed down to let an SUV change lanes. Overhead a helicopter was flying over, I imagined for a moment that it was full of mogs. I knew what to do to take it down, just one flex of the mind was all it took.

"John said he found you living in the mountains?" Nine began.

"Do you talk much to the others?" I redirected the subject as I opened the glove was empty except for some loose papers.

"Yup...pretty much everyone except for Sam and Adam. Six and John call me nearly every other day and I see John a lot during the week. He can fly so getting around is easy."

"What about that Daniela girl, Ran and Nigel?"

Nine smirked. "They all went home to find their families. I thought Daniela was going to stay and help me out. We hooked up a bunch of times then she said 'bye' and left."

"You two had-you did-"

His smirk was getting stronger by the second. "Yep."

"That's so irresponsible." I said finally.

Nine laughed so hard that I was afraid he would crash the car. "Maybe to a girl who grew up with nuns in a church!"

I groaned-making him laugh even more.

"Saint Teresa's was a convent." I pointed out. I tried to mentally calculate how long it had been since I had last been at that place. A year and a half atleast and yet it feels like I was there just yesterday. We had countless sessions on abstinence, and chasity. It's no wonder I felt objection towards 'hooking up'; Although I don't know why I back something I learned from a place that I despised. Geez, how did time go by in such a blur? We had been anticipating the war ever since we left Lorien. I had spent many years in Spain, waiting, waiting, waiting, and waiting. It was all over now, the worst part was over. It's over. I try repeating that in my mind. It's over. It's over. The relief hadn't set in yet, it's like my mind doesn't know how to accept it.

We rode in silence for a while...maybe we were both lost in our thoughts. He hit his left blinker and turned down a residential road.

"We have two months left until the academy opens." Nine told me. "The place is going to be huge."

"Are you going to be the headmaster?" I asked.

"I'm not sure." Nine said. "I want to stay where I'm at and help the new Garde develop their legacies."

"Maybe John then?" I suggested.

"I already nominated him to be the nurse."

"Pft' I laughed.

"Until the academy is open for business there is a huge demand of Earth Garde that need mentors. Right now we have them all under one roof, with Johnicus Lore gone that means I'm all they have-"

"You seem to have it all under control."

"Not as much as I'd like."

"Isn't John and Lexa trying to establish plans for an academy across the sea?"

"One in Europe and another in Asia. We should have two of us in each academy."

"You mean split up?" I asked, thinking of everyone so far away.

"Not exactly." Nine shook his head. "We can always teleport to go see each other." He lifted up his pendant that John had carved out of Loralite. With it we could teleport to the Himalayan base at anytime. "John can fly himself where ever and Ella can talk to us via brain waves."

"...Have you talked to Ella much?"

"She pops in my head to say hello at least three times a day. You?"

"Ten times a day. And Ella says she misses you." I said upholding my promise.

"Yeah, I miss the squirt too."

"So. for tomorrow," Nine began. "You're planning on being there right?"

"Of course."

"Sweet," Nine said, maybe a little relieved. "Okay, so tommorow I am thinking of splitting up the group. With your half they will get the chance to meet you and get some expertise from another Garde."

I took a long pause. "...What do I do?"

"You-" Nine tried to think of a good response. "You talk to them, answer their questions-and they have a lot. Sometimes a government official or two stand in to take notes."

"Notes on what?"

"I don't know exactly." Nine admitted. "My guess is how you interact with the Earth Garde, the stuff you cover with them and shit like that. Plus everything is new to them, the government is already getting creative on using the legacies for good."

"Have you had any problems?"

Nine was quiet for a moment. His fingers fidgeted on the steering wheel. "One of my original students killed themselves."

I gasped. "What happened?"

"He was trans or something, kind of a geeky looking kid-but really funny once you got him talking. His legacy was mind reading, like Ella's."

"Yeah?"

"He didn't like what people thought about him, couldn't take it."

"That's terrible." I whispered.

"Some others have gotten into drugs and shit too. I was at a party with a cool dude I met who was visiting from New York, Paul. He introduced me to his friends. They all had legacies of some sort. One of them, Kai could manipulate fire-and well, he burned his mothers face. He smokes a lot of pot now."

"We can heal his mother." I pointed out earnestly.

"She was healed. I don't know by who though."

"And he still hasn't-he hasn't..."

"Gotten over it? Nope."

In that moment I felt determined. I wanted to be there for these new Earth Garde. I never, ever want them to feel like I did for so long.

Nine pulled into a well lit parking lot. "This is it right?"

The hotel I was staying at was pretty modest. It only had three floors, no room service, but it did have a pool.

Nine gave a low whistle."If you weren't an ass kicking goddess from another planet I would totally be against you staying here."

Nine was used to lux and glamour, I was used to necessities. "I've stayed in worse."

He pulled up next to the door. "Alright, get in there and get some sleep."

I yawned. "Yes coach."

"Four-thirty." He ordered.

"Four-thirty." I repeated back to him. I opened the door and began to climb out.

"Night."

"Good night."

I got back to my room and shut the door behind me. The place was neat and tidy-the near opposite of how I left it. I was in a hurry to get dressed and get to the college. I set the room key on the night stand and stripped out of my clothes. I decided to take a shower in the morning. It was only eight-thirty but I was beat. The night before I had been up all night walking around the city. My mind was restless-taking in the new surroundings. Thinking about my friends and Eight and trying to drain the emptiness I felt.

As I laid in bed the numbness began to creep from my gut and radiated through out the rest of me. Part of me craved company. Maybe I should have gone to get something to eat with Nine, or at least suggested to stop and talk for awhile.

It was too early in India to call John or talk to Ella. I turned the lights off and wrapped myself in the heavy blankets and let myself cry. I held on tightly to my pillow as one by one my tears began to soak it. I couldn't put my finger on any specific reason why I was crying, although I could name a few reasons. I just hoped and even prayed that the feeling would go away.

I wanted to feel happy again.

Thanks for reading, you can expect to get a new chapter very soon :*

Marina is one of my favorite characters and I really want to develop her character. (I'm really not a fan on how the series ended ;/ ) I am going to be playing with some heavy themes-I want to keep it real.


	2. Meet the Team Part One

"Alright!" Nine cheered. "You're on time."

I rolled my eyes and dropped my bag near the door.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked.

I took a deep breath and rolled my shoulders. "I think so."

"You got this!" He gave me a high five.

"Oh how sweet." A voice crooned from the door way.

"Keister!" Nine snapped. "Did you bring me something tasty?"

"Yeah!" Keister made a kissy face and smacked his lips.

"Cookies, Keister, cookies!"

"Warren," Warren corrected. "Or old fat guy-either is better than 'Keister'"

Warren was a older man with white hair and thick rimmed glasses. His height and big build suggested that he probably caused a lot of intimidation back in his day. Warren took his backpack off and stuffed his hand inside of it.

"If you say so." Nine shrugged.

"Ha ha ha" Warren mocked. He pulled out one and then another tin container.

"One for the likes of you." Warren dropped the container into a very pleased Nine's hands.

He then extended the other one out to me and with a softer tone said. "And one for you baby, homemade by my own beautiful wife."

The container felt heavy with some type of baked good. Nine instantly tore into the container and pulled out a short bread cookie.

"Thank you." I said, opening my own. The warm vanilla aroma made my mouth water.

"Nothing to it, believe me." Warren untied his scarf from his neck.

"She's got a gift." Nine mumbled through a mouth full of shortbread cookie.

"Where's your manners in front of a lady?" Warren griped in my defense. "They teach you guys how to fight, but not manners? Geez louise."

Nine laughed and popped another cookie in his mouth.

"Here-Hello I'm Warren-old fat guy-Bryan Keister." Warren extended his hand and I reached out to shake it."You can call me Warren."

"Marina."

"Marina...now that's a nice name. Unlike 'Nine' that's a ridiculous name, just ridiculous...Nice to meet you gorgeous." Warren let go of my hand and then slapped my shoulder.

I heard the side door open and a few more people were headed down the hallway.

"You know." Warren started. "I think you could use a few containers of cookies. You're too thin!"

"Am I?" I asked, putting the tin container in my bag.

"Like a pencil...a _very_ good looking pencil." His tone let me know he wasn't hitting on me, it was more of a light-hearted statement. A grandfatherly statement perhaps?

"You need to stay away from the cookies." Nine said with a quick jab to Warrens side.

Warren put his hands on his hips. "And live the rest of my dull life as an unhappy, healthy man? I think not!"

"You have a legacy don't you?" I asked. "It can't be that dull now, right?"

Warren scoffed. "I can breathe-I'm the envy of old geezers everywhere."

Nine chuckled then said. "Warren here can create strong winds from his own breath."

"And my rear if I'm not careful." Warren half laughed then switched his expression to apologetic. "I'm sorry baby, that was inappropriate."

Three women and a man walked into the room. One of them was heavily pregnant. "Warren you're too much." She said.

"Hey there mama!" Warren greeted. "How'd the appointment go?"

She wobbled to the bench where the man helped her sit down. "Good, very good. The baby is very healthy."

"Is this a new recruit?" Nine asked.

"Uh no, I'm uh Steve; Sun's husband." Steve was a tall, slim man with wide eyes. His muscular forearms outlined his shirt. He extended his hand to Nine.

"Good to meet you." Nine replied. "This is Marina."

"Pleasure." He shook my hand too before returning to his wife's side.

"Smith," Nine called. "I didn't know you were married."

Sun, who was catching her breath looked up at Nine with the most incredulous expression. "How many pregnant Chinese women do you know with the last name 'Smith'?"

"Touche." Nine said, then took a bite of yet another cookie.

"I'm Maria." A woman with thick, curly brown hair shook my hand. "I can lift stuff with my mind and I have echolocation powers-er, legacy I mean."

"Two legacies?" I said, impressed.

"Ana." Another young woman shook my hand. I could see several tattoos peeking out from under her sleeve and some more from her neck. Her ear was also covered in piercings.

"I like your hair." I complimented. It was black with green streaks.

"Thanks." She winked.

"So what's your legacy?"

Ana smirked and pushed her sleeves back. Dozens of small, multicolored tattoos connected together-hearts, skulls, birds, fire, and much more. "I can mess with shadows."

She turned the palms of her hand towards the ground where our shadows pooled around us. She wiggled her fingers and the edges of our shadows began to move. Ana moved her hands to the left and the shadow leaned to the left aswell.

She moved them to the right and the same effect happened.

"She thinks she's cool." A guy around the same age as Ana-probably early-twenties-walked in.

"Shut the F*** up Kyle." Ana snapped with a sly grin.

Kyle walked across to us, I remember him as the guy whose finger I healed yesterday.

"Throwing shade..." Kyle sighed in a mocking tone. "Very... _impressive-bleh_."

Ana moved her hands and Kyle's shadow turned into a very mean looking face.

"Yuck." Sun said, looking at the shadow with a frown.

"Thanks for healing my finger." Kyle thanked me. "I'm Kyle."

"I broke it!" Ana chimed in.

"Ana's a bit of a trouble child." Warren explained. "But we all pretend to like her anyway."

"Yeah, I got daddy issues." She shrugged.

"Something." Nine added.

Ana turned her neck from left to right, causing it to pop. "You want to go, Nina?"

I smiled at her seriousness.

Nine raised his eyebrow and without looking carefully moved his container of cookies next to his bag, via telekinesis.

"I'll let you have the first move." He offered, then began to flex his arms. "If you can manage."

Ana smirked and brought her hands back and then with as much strength as she could muster thrust them forward in his direction. Nine moved ever so faintly, it was possible only I noticed it.

Nine only flexed again. "Eh, maybe next time."

"Am I late to the gun show?" A shorter teen entered the room and instantly began to flex his muscles in a body builder pose. The group I was with laughed.

"Tranquilo, Miguel!" Maria called.

"Okay, okay." He nodded, throwing off his jacket. "Oy! It's cold in here!" Miguel cried, and scrambled for his jacket. "Que muy Frio!"

After Miguel Martinez introduced himself to me more and more people began to arrive. I did my best to remember their names. It was now nearly five o'clock. Nine and I stood in front of the crowd.

"Alright!" He began. "Today we are going to take a new approach to our training-I am going to split you up. Half will be with me, the other half will be with Marina. Friday we will switch, that way everyone gets to meet her and have a better chance to get to know another original Garde."

As he spoke the door opened and two well dressed agents walked through the door. Everyone looked at them for a moment and then, as if they were used to their presence they went back to listening.

"Any questions?" Nine asked.

"Any word on the academy?" An older teen named Sugar Brown asked.

"No, Brown," Nine replied. "Same news as ever, two months."

"Any other questions?"

"How are your people doing across the sea?"

Nine shrugged. "It's going good as far as I know. Today they are going to be meeting with Earth Garde in the capital. If all goes well we will be able to start work in building academies in other countries. Oh, and there has been a lot of hubub in the news. So far every country's GDP is rising, the atmosphere is getting stronger and more people are leaving hospitals."

Sounds of glee echoed through out the gym walls.

"Just let that news fill you up with inspiration and gooey gooey goodness." Nine clapped and several people clapped too.

"Okay, half of you guys go over here" He gestured to the right. "And half of you go over there." He gestured to the left. The crowd did their best to split up.

"Looks good enough." Nine said to me. "Come on."

I followed him over to the two agents who were standing against the wall.

"Hi." Nine greeted.

"Zack Lota." Zack greeted me with a handshake.

"Marina."

"Bruce O'Malley." I shook his hand too.

"Nice to meet you." I replied.

"We're here to take notes, nothing special." Zack assured us.

"Yeah, don't mind us."

"Where is Agent Harrison, did she get tired of me already?" Nine joked.

Bruce grinned. "She's been reassigned."

"Shame." Nine replied, taking a step back. With a nod we turned back towards our groups.

"Re-assigned?" I asked.

Nine shook with laughter. "I-ha...remind me to tell you about it later."

"I will."

Nine walked to the group farthest away so I took that as I was meant to go to the other half.

"Alright!." Warren cheered. "We get the pretty girl."

"I hope I can remember everyone's name." I quipped, trying to shake the tightness I felt in my gut.

"Please call me Hannah." Hannah was probably a bit younger than I was, still in highschool. She had shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes. She looked kind of mean, but that may have been attributed to her sharply angled eyebrows.

"Hannah." I agreed.

"Thank you." She sighed with an air of annoyance.

Before I could read into that Sun grunted. Everyone turned their attention to her. Steve, her husband looked around with fright. Sun chuckled.

"I'm fine." She assured us.

"When are you due?" I asked.

"December 14th." She replied.

"On my mother's birthday." Steve added proudly.

Sun stuck out her tongue, quick enough so Steve couldn't see.

"Do you have kids?" Maria asked.

I was amused at the question. "No, but I was raised in an Convent with a bunch of other little children."

"You were like their older sister then?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Not really, I kept to myself to be honest..."

"This was in Spain right?" A man named Allen Watson asked. He was in his early twenties. I could barely see his face through his thick blonde beard and beanie hat.

"That's right." I nodded. "I was there for over a decade."

"Hablas espanol?" Maria asked.

"Si." I replied.

"Any other languages?" Tanner Wright asked.

"Um, no." I admitted. "I did pass through a lot of European countries. France, Poland, Austria-maybe a few others. I was too young to pick up the language though."

"That's crazy." Someone muttered.

"What do you remember about your home planet?"

I had to stop and think for a moment. A few images flashed in my mind. "I remember statues...statues of our Elders. Of Pittacus and Loridas and Seraphus and others I don't have names for-Lexa knows them."

"Anything else."

I tried to dig through years of memories. I really wanted to remember. An image of a green landscape came to the edge of my mind-before I could catch it the memory faded.

"You need Uriah!" A girl named Brittany shouted, she was in the back. I couldn't remember her last name, and sadly I forgot who Uriah was.

"Uriah can help you get your memories back!"

Uriah was leaning back against the wall with his arm around another girl. He seemed distracted. "What?" He asked. Lost.

"Help Marina get her memories back."

A wave of panic washed over his face. "I-uh...I'm not that good."

"It's okay." I protested, afraid of being faced with certain memories.

"Uriah get up there!" Brittany urged.

He moved to get out of his seat and started climbing down the bleachers. My throat went dry and a shield of cold expanded in front of me. The front row of people in the bleachers breathed puffs of smoke.

"No!" I stood up like I was about to bolt. Everyone leaned back or froze in fear including Uriah. Steve was half out of his seat, instantly reaching out to Sun protectively.

"I uh...maybe next time." My heart was racing and I rushed to slow it back down.

I looked away from the gaping mouths, I could hear Nine's group laughing which was a relief, maybe they didn't catch the commotion. My face was hot with embarrassment. How wild I must look. I can't do this, I'm so silly. I could feel my eyes welling up. I had to dig my nails into my palms to redirect my attention. I can do this, I can.

"That's pretty cool." I began. "T-to be able to bring back people's memories."

Everyone was silent. Steve hadn't budged from protecting his wife, who looked at me like I was a snarling piken.

"Yeah!" Warren boomed, breaking the silence with my utmost gratitude. "Cooler than mine and Leo's legacy."

Leo rolled his eyes. "Come on man."

"Ah, I'm just kidding." Warren grunted.

"What is your legacy?" I asked, curiously.

Leo sighed and avoiding my eye contact he replied. "I can talk to birds."

Somebody whistled like a bird, making Leo grab onto his bleacher tightly. I was grateful that he didn't have a combustion legacy. A group of younger kids in the corner snickered to themselves. Leo turned a bright red.

I felt strongly defensive of Leo's Legacy. Already standing I began to walk slowly to the end of the bleachers where the group of kids had taunted Leo. "You know," I started my tone dripping with seriousness. "First of all, every Legacy is a gift. An asset. Some of us could talk to animals and it came in handy. Many times. You could convince creatures to crawl up to the enemy. Y-you could convince them to fight on our behalf. There are so many possibilities."

Steve sat back down on his seat, making me relax a bit.

"And second of all, it's not fair to say one legacy is 'cooler'than another. They all have the same potential for greatness."

"Well said." Maria smiled. A few people clapped and talked amongst themselves.

"We can't knock eachother down." I warned, directing that statement towards that group.

"We're Earth Garde." Tanner chided. "One and the same."

"That's right." I agreed, warmed by the cheesiness of it.

I turned to see Mr. Lota listening in to my group. He was diligently writing down notes.

"Okay." I continued. "So we have telekinesis, echolocation, the ability to talk to birds, the ability to resurface memories...What else do we have?"

Sun half raised her hand. "I can heal."

"That's awesome, I first discovered my healing legacy healing plants."

"I never tried healing a plant." Sun admitted.

"That's how it started...then I healed my friend Ella and my friend Hector's Mother-she had an incurable disease."

"Wow."

"You can heal anything?" Hannah asked.

"Broken bones, diseases, cuts..." I stated

"Can you...bring people back from the dead."

In the blink of an eye I was somewhere inside my mind...I saw Eight, stabbed and bleeding.

Reaching out to me.

Collapsing.

His scar burning.

His body on a table.

Burning, burning.

I shook my head, luckily it looked like I was shaking my head no. I inhaled as deep as I could-and exhaled. No vapor this time.

"Sun healed me." Steve smiled. "I've been in a wheel chair since my tour in Iraq."

"You were paralyzed?" I asked.

"From the waist down."

"Eight months later his wife is pregnant." Ja'shaun Michie rolled back with laughter. So did his buddies around him. Even Sun giggled. Steve grinned and gave his wife a peck on the cheek.

"Let's keep it moving here." Warren suggested. "She has a pretty cool legacy."

"What was your name again?"

"Carmen Polosi." Carmen had to brush her bangs out of her face, they only slid back immediately. Her hair was bleached blonde, her brunette roots were peeking out from the top. "I don't know exactly what to call it, but I can..." Carmen reached her hands out towards me, palms up and her fingers sprawled apart. She looked closely at her hands. Everyone leaned in close, waiting for it to happen. Carmen was almost shaking in concentration. She paused to look at me then looked back at her hands.

"Don't pass out." Uriah called down at her.

"Shut up!" She snapped. Carmen looked back at her hands. About half a minute passed. "F***, forget it!" She slapped her hands down onto the bleachers. In an instant everyone was out of their seats. I almost choked on air.

"Ahhhhh!" Everyone screamed.

Carmen flinched and looked around her. She was the only one sitting. "S***, I'm sorry."

"Electricity!" I exclaimed. "You can manipulate electrical currents."

"I mean, I guess." Carmen sniffed, tugging on the seams of her skirt.

I lost it. I was bent over, laughing my guts out. Then everyone was laughing, it all echoed throughout the gym.

I was trying so hard to reign myself back in.

I looked over the room at Bruce O'malley. He stood watching us with out emotion. Zack Lota was taking notes close to Nine's group. When I found Nine he was sporting a huge woolfish grin. I laughed again and turned back to my group.

They were hurrying to get back to their seats.

"Are you okay Sun?" I asked. Steve was asking her a thousand questions.

Sun gave me a thumbs up.

"Who's next?" I asked.

The next few hours went by in a blur. I was able to hear from all twenty-one individuals in my group. I haven't laughed as much as I had in a year as I had in those three hours. The last person exited the gym leaving the two Agents, Nine and I.

"Today went well." Nine had retrieved his container of cookies and went back to work devouring them.

"I'd say so too." Agreed Zack.

Bruce tapped his pen nosily on his clip board.

"What?" Nine asked.

"Did you fill out all your paperwork yet?" He asked in a gruff tone.

"Yeah, I sent it in the mail last month."

O'malley and Lota looked at each other.

"You didn't get it, did you?

"No, we didn't."

Nine cussed. "That was over a hundred pages, signed and dated."

"They never made it to my desk."

"I stayed up all night."

"Well..."

"You're the federal government!" Nine pointed out. "So is the post office-you don't know what happened to it?"

"Not a clue."

"You had five weeks to fill it out," Lota began. "That's a good amount of time for it to go missing without raising an eyebrow."

"What would someone want with this paperwork?" I asked.

"That paperwork included information on each and everyone of the Earth Garde Registered in San Francisco as well as neighboring cities and those that came from Mexico."

I thought of Hidalgo and his cousin Teddy, they were here for citizenship. What could be done with their information.

"What about cameras?" Nine asked.

"We looked at the footage." Bruce said. "No one tampered with your package from the time you dropped it off to the time when it was loaded up to be sent."

Nine wiped some crumbs off his shirt. "Oh, now that's just peachy."

"What should we do?" I asked, wringing my hands nervously.

"We were told to offer you and your Loric pals free reign, to find out what happened." Lota began tucking his clip board into his bag.

"Find out if it fell underneath something and is waiting to be found...or if there is something fishy going on."

Nine was rubbing his face with his hands. "Ugh." He groaned through his fingers.

"In the mean time-." Lota said, with an apologetic tone.

"You...need that paperwork." Nine finished.

"And stat." Bruce added.

"You got it, Brucey."

Lota gave Nine a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Knew we could count on you buddy."

"Yeah, yeah." Nine grumbled.

Bruce handed Nine a black case full of folders.

"This time, we will pick it up personally."

"Good. If it happens again I will pass the torch over to Johnny."

"Eh what happened earlier?" Lota asked. "When everyone hopped out of their seats?"

I told them about Carmen's power and how her fit of anger mixed with touching metal had electrocuted everyone.

Lota and Nine laughed. Bruce stood quiet then spoke. "We are going to have another meeting soon."

"When?" Nine asked.

"Soon."

Nine sighed impatiently. "About what?" I kinda wished that he would use a nicer tone with the agents.

"Safety. These new Earth Garde, they have lethal powers."

"Some of them." I added.

"It just takes one powerful Joe or Jane to cause a disaster."

"It only took five of us to take down an entire enemy fleet and colony." Nine argued. "A bunch of kids put a stop to that and three more helped out that weren't even Loric. We can take down any corrupt Earth Garde, or corporation or organization or club or what have you. Nothing is a big threat to us."

Nine was really getting pumped up, his alarm was beginning to rub off on me. My senses hightened. I could hear Lota's heart pounding in his chest, smell the sweat welling up on his brow.

"Look," Lota said, hands in his pockets. "We don't want to threaten people, we want to educate people and ensure that global catastrphe never becomes a possibility."

"That sounds reasonable." I said, trying to break the tension.

Nine looked at me, I couldn't read what he was trying to say. He turned away before I could take a guess.

"All right ladies, anything else?"

"No." Bruce said. "Have a goodnight."

"You too." We shook hands and he turned to leave.

"Keep up the good work." Lota smiled at me, then gently shook my hand as well.

I walked over to get my bag. Nine was leaning on the door way waiting, his back to me.

I heard squeaky wheels coming down the hall and heavy breathing. Nine pulled his hair down, shook it out and began to tie it back up.

The loud echoing the gym threw at me with every move I made forced me to walk on my heels up to Nine. I put a wary hand on his shoulder. "Is everything okay?"

Nine exhaled and started walking towards the door. My hand fell to my side.

"Everythings fine." Nine assured me. "Hey Rusty."

"Hi." Rusty answered in the same unfriendly tone as yesterday.

I could have matched Nine's pace but instead I was a few paces behind, allowing him a moment to collect his thoughts. I thought about how great everything had gone, savoring my pleasant emotions.

"Thanks." I said as Nine held the door open for me. He locked the door behind us. Yesterday Nine had offered to give me a ride home again until I got my own car. I slid into his car again and noticed something new hanging from the rear view mirror.

"Where did you get that?" I asked. A piece of tied leather was weighed down by a shiny, gold key.

Nine was quiet for a moment, putting the car in gear then headed out. "It's the old key to mine and Sandor's penthouse. The contruction crew from Chicago sent it to me."

"Oh."

Nine hit the left blinker and we pulled out into the bright lights of evening traffic.

"I could help you with the paperwork." I offered.

Nine laughed to himself. "It sucks that they won't just let us fill the S*** out electronically."

"Why not?"

"Cyber attacks. Each country is trying to puppy guard their Earth Garde. They are infiltrating other internet servers to make sure they have the biggest army. It's a wonder John and Ella have even been able to get through to India. The Garde are being viewed as weapons-It's f***ed up."

Somehow I felt as though I could understand where he was coming from. "The Earth just got over a major invasion war and now they are trying to prepare for another one."

"They say they want to have a meeting to make sure everyone remains safe and under control." Nine muttered. "What they aren't saying is the part where they want to recruit assets to the military and science. It's nothing but an arms race right now."

The government was doing a lot to accept incoming Garde-offering citizenship to those with Legacies and their families. They were building an academy, holding meetings and offering to fund projects. Something dawned on me, and I almost couldn't bring myself to say it. I shifted in my seat to face Nine. "What did you do with the first set of files?"

Nine looked at the road infront of him. With a half smile he replied. "I snuck them out of the delivery truck, via Chimaera."

I was speechless. He lied and stole from the American government.

"I did it for them." He argued. "I didn't do much but buy some time...now they are going to expect them from me in a few days. I'm S.O.L. now."

I bit my cheek and thought for a moment. "Maybe not...we'll go to that meeting-or you and John, whoever...we've been through worse right? We can get through this too. We need to advocate peace."

Nine nodded in agreement. "We're the Elders now...we have to protect our people."

"Till death." I agreed.

"Whoa, whoa. When did you get all morbid sweetheart."

I rolled my eyes. "Beats me."

Nine reached into his middle glove box and pulled something out. "Here." He tossed me an envelope.

With a questioning glance towards Nine I opened it up and unfolded a piece of paper. Taped to it was a card.

"What-"

"It's a driver's license." He explained. "I made one for all of us."

I looked at my photo. It was from a photo put in the newspaper several months back. I looked exhausted in it. The name listed was Marina Seven.

"Seven?" I muttered.

"I had little to work with."

"100 pounds?"

"It was my best guess."

The address listed was his penthouse in Chicago. I didn't mention it, but I felt touched that he was willing to share his nice home."

"Hm." I murmured. "This is really nice. Thank you Nine."

"I made one for me too." He reached up and pulled down his visor, revealling a line of pockets. He pulled out his License from that. "Don't laugh at my photo." He begged.

I took the license and laughed. "Pfft!."

"No trust." He whined.

His photo looked just as normal as mine did, it was his name that made me laugh.

"Stanley S. Worthington?"

"Oh, what about it?"

"What's wrong with Stanley Nine?"

"Nothing," Nine grinned. "I just had another option."

"It's great." I handed his license back and he swiftly put it away.

"So, do you mind working on the paper work tonight?" He asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing else to do."

"Lovely."

It was six in the morning by the time we finished. Pizza boxes and coffee cups were laid around my hotel room. Nine crashed on my pullout couch. I covered him with a blanket and just as I was about to doze off Ella's voice was ringing through my head.

 _Hey, we got arrested and they aren't allowing us to leave the country._

"What?" Nine jumped off the couch, half asleep.

 _What happened?_ I asked.

 _Well..._

 _Thank you Anonymous for my first review. I can relate with you, when I finished the series I was really hoping to find a good continuation. Now I've decided to write one myself :) I don't have the right keys to properly punctuate my Spanish dialouge, hope that doesn't bug anyone :p_

 _-Lemon-Moon_


	3. Set out to thaw

"What happened again?" I asked John. "Don't leave anything out."

The group was still in Saudi Arabia, hoping to speak to the Royal family about how to deal with their new Human Garde.

"We were in the carriage-or whatever it's called-and there was a group of men attacking a woman."

"They were beating her to death!" Six hissed. "With sticks and stones."

"...So Six jumps out of the carriage and throws those men away from the woman."

"Hell yeah I did!"

"She broke a lot of laws, many punishable by death." Sam chirped.

Nine punched the side of the couch, the fluff absorbed his blow which saved his cup of coffee from falling over. "I want to be mad." He admitted.

"But in the end she was defending an innocent woman." John finished. "I understand."

"Like hell I am going to turn my back." Six added. "I helped her get home, luckily no one could recognize her."

"The woman was caught using a legacy." John tried to explain.

"Invisibility!" Six scoffed. "They force women to wear Burkas, to make them invisible and then sentence one to death for accidently turning invisible!"

"The act of women using legacies is punishable by death." Sam explained. "It's not in the law books, so the animals have decided to take matters into their own hands."

"Don't call them animals." Nine defended. "They are only trying to follow their religion. People are trying to deal with our Legacy s**t all around the globe."

"Bullshit is what it is." Six growled.

"So, everything's alright." John tried to reassure us over the phone. "The guys at the embassy say we will be on the next flight home."

"That's just ridiculous." Nine growled. "They aren't even going to let you guys finish?"

"Not that we'd want to anyway. If they disrespect one of us, they disrespect all of us." Sam blurted in the background.

Nine groaned. "That's just peachy, but I'm sure your girlfriend can handle a few sticks and stones thrown her way." I could hear Six's laugh echoing through the room. "They were running for cover, I-haha-I brought down hell and lightning. They demanded that I be brought in to pay for my crimes and disobedience."

 _If Six and I go home, then the guys can finish the mission_. Ella told me. _That's what the Prince told us._

Nine opened his mouth to speak then closed it, something that rarely happens. I wondered if Six or John heard Ella too.

"Agent Garner is going to be pissed." Nine sighed.

Agent Garner was a strong advocate for the Declaration of Garde Governance. He could be a bit of a hot head, but nothing would get done otherwise.

"I'll call him, that way he hears it from me," John said. "And so the media can't spin it."

The media had been at our throats ever since our existence had been revealed to the world. Their favorite ammo was blaming us for the invasion, like it was our choice to leave Lorien as children and help invade Earth. There was no telling how they would make us look bad this time.

 _Too late._ Ella informed me. _Turn on channel 12_

I brought the remote over to me and turned on the overhead T.V.

"-trying to change other syestems of government now!" An exhasperated man spat into a reporters micrphone. "They think they can just invade our planet and rewrite our laws. It's total Beep man!"

Nine pinched the bridge of his nose. I turned the T.V. off, but I could hear it echoing through the phone.

"The Secretary of State is already doing what she can to clean up the fiasco," John said. "They need more allies."

"The U.S. Government?" Nine chuckled. "Yeah, that's the point of us reaching out to people. Oh by the way, the guys over here are wanting to plan another safety meeting."

Silence.

"They just love getting us all in one room." Six said with an air of annoyance.

"So," John said. "We got a lot accomplished the last meeting. I see nothing wrong with another."

"We can talk more about it when you get back." Nine sighed. " I'm hoping we can get more protection for the New garde, something to protect them from being exploited."

"Just send me your ideas, I'll make a list." John reasoned.

"Tackling our problems, one list at a time. I like it." Nine joked and then fell back into being annoyed. "There's nothing we can do to carry on with our mission?"

"N-" John began.

"They said if Six and I go home they will let the guys finish what we started." I heard Ella blurt out, taking matters into her own hands.

"Ella-" I tried to protest.

"I'm fine with going home." She argued. "There will be other missions."

"No way." Sam interjected.

"She's right." Six grumbled. "As much as it pisses me off, the audacity of it! Sending us home because of what's between our legs. I could fight all of them."

"We know."

"You know what, I fought for all of them and they want-"

"Okay, okay." John tried to calm her down.

"-to send me away. I'll go home, whatever."

"We're all going home." John said finally. "We're a team, we stick together no more dividing ourselves up!"

Nine did a slow clap. "Wars' over and your team speeches still bring tears to my eyes Johnicus."

"Johnicus?" Sam snorted

"Johnicus Lore, chief elder." Nine remarked.

"Ha-ha." John probably rolled his eyes just then. "Anyway, we'll let you know if anything changes and when we get on the plane."

"Sounds good." I said. "Bye."

I heard the group each say goodbye and then Nine put the phone back on it's dock.

It was now Seven O'clock in the morning. Nine got up and several of his joints popped as he stretched. "I'm usually awake and working out about now but, -Yawwwwn- I'm beat."

I scooted off my bed and stood up to stretch too. I had been sitting in the same postion for an hour and a half. I knew that I'd be asleep before my head hit the pillow if I were to lie down.

"Do you have any meetings today?" I asked, turning to sit back down.

Nine walked over to the couch. "No. It's Thanksgiving or something today. Everyones with their families."

"They have a lot to be thankful for this year. Oh and that couch pulls out into a bed."

Nine looked around the front of the couch and felt around for the lever. "Damn straight they have a lot to be thankful for."

The bed came out of the couch with a loud BOING! Nine went to work setting up the bed, but gave up half way. He collapsed on the mess of sheets and blankets.

I shook my head and pushed off my wonderful warm and enticing bed. "Here."

"Hmm!" He mumbled into the mattress.

"Get up, let's fix the bed right."

He gave in and stood up.

"Grab that side." I ordered. Together we each grabbed a side and tucked it in. In no time the bed was made. I threw a pillow onto his bed and made my way back to my own.

I heard the bed creak as he fell onto it. He mumbled something, a thank you maybe. I climbed in under the sheets and tried to melt into beautiful unconciousness. Of course. my mind had other plans. I thought about Thanksgiving and how it could have been. I would have loved to cook a grand meal, for all of us. I was hit by a pang of lonliness. I really wanted John and the others to be here. Ugh no! Tears stung my eyes. I wanted to sleep, not feel sad. I almost dug my nails into my palms but I knew from experience that it was hard to fall asleep when your hand hurt from that. I rolled onto my back and stared at the ceiling. It was smooth and flat. I saw Eight's face and shook my head. No. I can't have an emotional break down with Nine in the room. I thought about getting up and leaving, but what would I say if he woke up. Plus I was too tired to get up. Giving in to the unavoidable I rolled back over to my stomach and got readjusted. It probably took several minutes, but eventually I was able to keep my negative thoughts away long enough to doze off.

I dreamt that I was on the run again.

"Does that guy look like a Mog to you?" Six asked me.

Everything was fuzzy. I tried squinting and sure enough there was a mog headed our was wearing a ridiculously large winter coat. I turned to run, it was like my feet were tied with cinderblocks. The mog was going to catch me for sure.

"Marina!" He called.

"Adam?" Six laughed. "It's just Adam."

"I'm freezing." He chattered through his teeth. "Can we please go someplace warm?"

Six led us through a door and into a room I had never been before. John was waiting inside holding a tray of cookies.

I turned to discover that Six and Adam were no longer with us.

"I guess they have work to do." John shrugged, walking over to me.

"Guess so... since when do you bake?" I asked, plucking a chocolate chip cookie from the tray.

"I don't. Nine made them."

"Oh." I replied, as if that made more sense.

He set the cookies aside. "I was thinking that we could have a Thanksgiving dinner."

"Really?" I gasped.

"Yeah, we have a lot to be thankful for right?"

"Exactly!. We can have it here, this room is perfect!"

"I want it to be, for you."

I felt my face heat up. "I-"

"Come on." John led me over to the overstuffed couch.

As soon as I sat down we were kissing. He was so warm. He pushed me back, I could feel the arm of the couch on my spine.

"I'm not hurting you am I?" He asked.

I shook my head and he brought his mouth back down on to mine.

A moment later fat snow flakes began to drift down onto us. John's head was covered in a matter of seconds. He pulled away and looked at me, then untangled his fingers from my hair.

"You're upset." He stated.

"No." I tried to kiss him but he didn't respond to it.

"It's okay." He soothed. "You can stop this."

"I'm not doing anything." I protested.

John sat me up and stood.

"It's not me." I tried again. I looked down at my hands. They were completely encased in frost. "No!" I did everything I could to get rid of it, rubbing my hands together, scratching it off with my nails. It only refrosted.

"I understand." John sighed and a long puff of vapor dispersed into the frigid air.

"I don't understand!"

John hugged himself and watched as I vigorously shook my hands. The snow was becoming a full blown blizzard.

"Calm down Marina. It's okay." I could barely see him now. "Just wake up."

"I don't want to wake up!" I argued.

"Wake up!"

"I don't want to."

"Then atleast bring it back up to a reasonable temperature!"

With a gasp I was awake. A bit disoriented, I sat up. I was in my hotel room. Nine was at the foot of my bed, wrapped up in a blanket.

"Huh?"

He laughed and a puff of smoke came from his breath. "Having a bad dream or something?"

I put my hand on my head. I was still drowsy.

"What time is it?" I mumbled.

"If we had juice it'd be popcicle time."

I looked over to see my clear cup of water frozen. Not solid but there was definitely ice in there. I ogled at it.

"It's two fourty-eight in the afternoon." Nine told me, looking at his phone. "Oh, I've got to take this." Nine dropped the blanket revealing his bare chest. I looked away. I fell back into the sheets trying not to feel so impressed with his well defined torso.

He closed the door behind him. I could hear him apologize for missing the call. I tried to listen in, Nine sounded really apologetic. I might have dozed off again. I heard the door open again.

"Agent Garner." He explained.

"Oh." I murmured.

I listened to Nine shuffle around a little bit.

In what felt like a blink of an eye the room was dark.

"Nine?" I called out. No reply. I swung my legs off the bed and sat up. It was Six- Eleven in the Evening. The light switch flipped on. The Couch-bed was fixed back into a regular couch and the sheets, blankets, and pillow were semi-folded and left on the arm of the couch. There was no trash strewn around as it had been when we fell asleep earlier in the morning. I had a few missed messages.

John 9:32 A.M.

Boarding the plane.

9 4:43 P.M.

Hey call me when u wake up.

9 5:37

u up?

I wrote a quick text to Nine.

I'm up.

He didn't text back.

I got up and grabbed the cup of water. A tiny sliver of ice remained. I chugged the whole cup and munched on the piece of ice. Next I stripped naked and headed straight for the shower. Half way through it I reached to twist the plug in the drain so I could fill up the tub. Half way to full, I sat down. It was a small tub so I let one leg hang off the side. I was almost out of my small stock of hotel shampoo so I went ahead and emptied the rest into the tub. It wasn't nearly as bubbly as I would have liked it to be. I thought of making a bucket list. I wanted to take a bubble bath thick with bubbles. I sat back and tried to relax. That was hard to do when you could hear as well as I did. Without moving a muscle I turned on the stereo, leaving it on classical. I didn't know how long it would take the others to make it to San Fransisco, but for sure they wouldn't be home in time for Thanksgiving. Was it silly to be getting into this holiday? It was an American holiday, I grew up in Spain. Still, anything that could bring a happy memory to the Garde was something I could support. I lathered my hair up with conditioner, it was just the hotel's so I had to use three bottles. My hair had grown out pretty good these last few months, making it easier to braid.

"Marina?" A voice called

I jumped. causing water to spill on the floor.

"I'm in here." I called.

Nine knocked on the bathroom. "Can I come in?"

"What, no!" I objected. "Just wait out there."

"kay."

I sat in the water for a moment, seriously not wanting to leave yet. With a groan I stood up and turned the shower head back on so I could knock the remaining soap and bubbles off my skin. When I got out I realized I didn't have any clothes to wear in here. I remembered leaving them on the bedroom floor. I felt so embarrassed. I wrapped myself in a towel and pressed up against the door.

"Nine?"

"Yo."

"I need you to go outside for a minute so I can change."

"I won't look."

I rolled my eyes and spoke through my teeth. "Nine-."

"Okay, okay. Come get me when you're dressed."

I waited to hear the door close before I left. Quickly I ran to put on a fresh pair of jeans, underthings and a tshirt. Next I swept my dirty clothes under my bed.

Outside in the hall, Nine was sitting on the ground opposite of my door.

"Sorry. You didn't answer my texts so I thought I'd just come over."

He shut the door behind him and headed straight for the couch. "This place could use some re-decorating."

I silently agreed. The artwork displayed on the walls was very bland. One pictured was of an empty field. The other was of the same empty field but with a rainbow. The walls were the only heartbeat in the place, a warm yellow.

All else was fairly outdated.

"I'd really like a bigger tub." I admitted.

"Like the one in Chicago." Nine reminissed.

"Yeah." I said carefully, watching Nine's expression. He showed no sign of sad emotion. It took me a minute, but I realized Nine was dressier than usual. He wore black Khakis and a nice blue shirt with medium length sleeves and a few buttons coming down from the top. Two were unbuttoned.

"What's the ocassion?" I asked.

"Yeah! A few friends of mine are having a get together. I was going to see if you wanted to go?"

"Uh..." The thought of being around strangers made me nervous.

"We can go for a few minutes and if you get bored we can leave."

I took another glance at Nine. He looked really into going, and I was the only here that could go with him. Still...

"With everything going on, is it really right for us to go out?" I questioned.

"You mean having fun?" Nine huffed. "Yes I think it's right, we deserve a little fun. Out of everyone on the planet Earth, no one deserves more fun than us."

I hugged myself, still uncertain.

"You'll get to meet some more Earth Garde too. It'd be good for you since you only got back from camping in the wilderness. It's time to catch up with the world honey!"

I inhaled and loudly exhaled. "Maybe for just a minute."

"Awesome, let's go." Nine jumped off the couch and stretched.

I looked in the mirror, my hair looked like a rats nest.

"Let me do something with my hair first."

Nine turned and looked at my hair. "Looks fine to me."

I looked back at the mirror and then back at Nine with the best incredulous look I could muster.

"What?" He asked as I made my way back into the bathroom.

I used the hotels hair dryer for the first time since I had checked in. I brushed it out until the brush could go through a few times without snagging any hair. By then it was half dry. Using my fingers I shook my hair about as I followed with the dryer. I stopped before it was dry, not wanting to take too long. I hastily wiped the mirror so I could see my reflection. My hair looked really nice.

I proudly walked out of the bathroom, this wasn't bad. If only I had different clothes. Four tshirts a tank top and three pairs of pants among a few other items was all I owned.

Nine gave a low whistle, making me blush. "Looking good Number Seven."

I snatched up my phone and followed him out the door. "You look good too." I told him.

"Thanks." He smiled, popping his collar.

I laughed.

"Who are these friends anyway?"

"I've talked about them before." Nine reminded me. " Kai, Joseph, Alex. Kai was in New York, but he is visiting family for Thanksgiving."

"I remember Kai-He accidently...uh..."

"Yeah."

We drove around for a while. I had no idea where he was taking me. "Hey, while we're out I need to get some shampoo!"

"Sure. We can stop at the store on the way back."

"Okay." Nine then said in a serious tone. "Don't drink anything someone hands to you-In fact I wouldn't drink anything that's not soda out of a can."

"Alcohol?" I asked.

"None of that, it's a bad idea."

"Okay."

"Don't eat anything that looks like candy, it's not candy." Nine laughed darkly.

I bit my lip and then exhaled. "Is this going to end badly?"

"Nope. I got your back. Everything is going to be fine...Oh and don't smoke anything."

"I don't smoke anyway."

"Cigarettes aren't what concerns me."

"What concerns you then?" I asked.

"Sometimes at parties they pass some stuff around, it's like a cigarette but it doesn't affect you the way a cigarette does."

"How does it?"

"It makes your head fuzzy."

"Oh. Why would anyone smoke it then?"

"Exactly."

He circled the lot a few times until finally parking in a very poorly lit area. Luckily I could see and luckily I knew how to kill someone if they felt like attacking us.

"Come on." He started walking towards an open doorway. The patio was covered with people smoking cigarettes and just sitting around laughing.

A guy reached his hand out to stop me. I thought of a hundred and one ways to break his arm. Nine wasn't aware that I had stopped just yet. By the time he turned around the guy was in my face. He reeked of colgne and smoke.

"Hermosa, sientate a mi lado!"

I went around him in neck break speed. Nine lent me his arm and I took it. I'm glad I had. The music was so loud and with everyone moving around me I was quickly disoriented. He led me to the back where a few people were sitting around on a couple of couches. One got up to greet us.

"Aye!" He cheered. "My saviors!" He bowed a few times. "Who's the babe?"

"Marina, this is Kai. Kai Marina."

I stuck my hand out and we shook hands. He let go and closed his hand into a fist. He smiled and moved his fist closer to me. "Go like this." He told me. I complied. He bumped his fist to mine then opened his hand and while pulling it away wiggled his fingers. "Now you're getting it."

"I'm Archie." A guy reached his hand out to shake mine. He had a comb sticking out of his very bushy hair. I wondered if he knew that it was there? He had very kind eyes.

"This is Joey." Joey lifted his hand for a small wave. He looked out of it.

"Where's Alex?" Nine asked.

"Probably getting high upstairs." Kai laughed. "Do you want to take a hit?" He asked me. I didn't know what that was. Nine shook his head. "Not tonight."

Kai leaned back. "Are you Dad today?"

"Sure. Do you need one?"

"I haven't needed a f****** dad in eighteen years. Don't need one today."

"Alright then."

Nine sat down on the couch and I quickly sat down beside him. Archie was the closest to me.

"Thank you for your service." He gushed.

"She's an alien, not an fricken Marine." Kai cackled.

"No, what you did was so much more bada** than what the Marines could do!"

"Thank you."

"Ooh girl." Archie sang. "I watched you guys on T.V. SO-Bada**."

"Do you have a legacy?" Nine asked.

"F*** no." Archie replied. "It sucks, I'm like the only one."

"No way!" Kai negated. "Joey doesn't have any legacies, he's not sulking."

"I'm always sulking dude." Joey replied.

Nine reached his hand out over me to Archie. Archie looked really confused.

Nine chuckled. "Take my hand limp biscuit!"

Archie gingerly reached his hand out. Not an even a pinch of trust showed in his expression. I smiled, knowing what Nine was doing. When it was close enough Nine wrapped his hand around Archie's. Three seconds passed.

"What'd you do." Archie asked.

"Awwww sh**!" Kai hollered.

"Go run up the wall." Nine ordered.

Archie's jaw dropped. "No sh**?"

"No Sh**." Nine confirmed.

Archie lept to his feet. "Ahhh!" He squealed. He ran and jumped at the wall, immediately sticking to it. He ran up a few feet. "I'm not gonna fall am I?"

"No." Nine called.

Archie tried to lift a foot up to the ceiling and screamed. "I can't...gah...I can't!"

"Archie Archie Archie Archie!" Kai began and everyone in close proximity chided in soon after.

Nine shook with laughter. I looked up at Archie as he jumped to the ceiling. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" He screamed shrilly, his arms flailed.

"How do I get down?" He panicked.

"I don't know!" Nine lied.

"Ahhhhhhh!" He screamed.

"Just climb down." Nine told him.

Archie turned and attempted to walk down the wall.

"Your turn." Kai gestured towards me. "Gotta give poor Joey a legacy."

I shook my head. "I don't have that legacy."

"You can't give Marina your legacy to give Joey a legacy."

Nine and I looked at each other. Unsure if it'd work. Nine shrugged and reached his hand out to me, willing to give it a shot. I brought my hand to Nine's and then stopped. I looked at Kai. "I really don't have any cool legacies to give."

"What!" A girl came over to us. "I thought everyone had cool legacies?" It was the girl named Brittany from my group. I was shocked to see her wearing such a short dress.

"You're right." I agreed.

She said hi to Nine and then acted afraid for a moment. "You're not going to put me in detention for being here, are you Professor?"

Nine chuckled. "Not that kind of Professor."

"Good!" She toasted him with her bottle and then chugged it.

"Ana and Kyle are around here somewhere." She told us.

"I'll say hi when I see em." Nine replied.

"Do you want a drink!" She asked us.

"No thanks."

"Nine is being a good boy tonight." Kai laughed.

Before Nine could reply there was a crash. Archie.

We all jumped to our feet to see Archie rolling on the floor. He was clutching his knee.

"Ah Fuuuu***!" He cried.

"Call an ambulance!" A voice cried.

"You can't!" Another guy shouted.

I pushed through the crowd to get to his side.

"Wait!" Kai stopped me. "Let me heal him. Get Nine's legacy and-."

"What?" I asked. Archie cussed some more.

I pushed past Kai and got to my knees.

Archie whimpered. I put my hands on his knee and let my legacy go to work. With in a minute Archie was back on his feet. He tried to hop on the wall again and failed.

"You gotta be careful man." Nine laughed.

"That was awesome!" Archie cheered. "Maybe one day they will find a way to permanantly transfer legacies like that."

Nine's slapped him on the back. "Maybe."

We all sat back down again. Kai was absentmindedly sipping his beer. I hoped he wasn't upset that I ignored his request to heal Archie.

"Brittany's in you group?" Joey asked.

"Yeah." Nine confirmed. "She's pretty strong."

"Her legacy is strength?"

"No, she can mess with noise frequeny and sound waves." Nine seemed really impressed. "I know with enough practice she will be able to listen in on conversations from far away-She will be able to take away people's hearing. All kinds of tricks."

"Right on."

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Lexa, I told her about a few legacies that have been popping up and she tells me about people she knew in Lorien."

A few girls had come over, each of them wearing clothes I wasn't daring enough to wear. One of them had green and blonde hair, the right side of her head was shaved.

"It's those Aliens Megan!" A young woman ooed. She had her arm draped dependently on Megan's shoulder.

"Oh wow! The blonde and green haired girl replied.

"Because of you guys I can talk to fish." Another one slurred.

Megan patted her hand on the girls shoulder. "Alright Liz, take it easy."

"I can talk to fish." Liz repeated again she looked me dead in the eyes. "Can you talk to fish?"

I shook my head no.

"Aw." She made a sad face.

"We need to sober her up." Megan said.

"There's some food in the kitchen." Kai told them. "Brittany knows where."

Brittany had returned. "Yeah come on."

"Sweet."

Kai patted Liz on the side. "You're such a light weight Liz."

Liz laughed like a child.

"I'll stay here." The green and blonde haired girl stated.

Nine nudged me with his shoulder. "That's why you don't drink." He said into my ear. "It makes you go soft in the head."

Brittany reached her hand out to me. "Marina, come with!"

"I uh." I looked to Nine.

"I'll be here if you need me."

Reluctantly I followed Brittany and the others through a labyrinth of young adults, bumping and grinding on each other. A majority of them making out with someone else.

"Watch your step." She warned.

We went up a small staircase and around a corner. The kitchen was pretty big. The counters with green tile went around half the wall. There was an island counter covered with tupperware and tinfoil covered plates. A few girls sat at a table. They turned to look at us when we came in.

"Are you hungry?" Brittany asked.

Too be honest nothing looked incredibly appetizing. The smell of food however teased my stomach, begging my eyes to give the food a chance.

"I brought the macaroni and cheese." She told me. "It's the best."

She handed me a plate and a spoon. "Thank you." I told her. Then grabbed the plastic spatula to scoop onto my plate.

"Try one of those brownie's." Brittany added. "I made those too."

"Sit down Liz." Megan led Liz to an unoccupied chair near the table.

Megan went back to the island to stack some food on the plate. "What do you eat on your planet?" She asked me.

"I honestly can't remember." I told her. "But I know someone who does."

"I can't believe everything that's happened." Megan shook her head. "I'm talking to an alien."

I didn't know what to say. So I took a bite of macaroni. On a scale of one to ten the dish was a three. Since I was hungry it was a seven.

"Ohmygosh. I'm sorry, I don't know if Alien is the right term." Megan looked at me wide eyed.

I waved her off until I could swallow. "It's okay."

She looked at Brittany and then turned away to give Liz some food.

"So it is you then?" A girl asked me across the room. "You are one of those Loric people?"

"Marina." I confirmed.

"I'm Cheyenne."

"Yasmin." Another girl introduced.

"I am Marisol."

"Come sit down." Yasmin invited.

"Yeah we don't bite, are you here all by yourself."

"Nine's here too." Brittany told them in a very alluring tone. She walked over and plopped down on a chair.

The girls at the table giggled and swooned. "Oh my s***!" Marisol fanned her face. "I would break up with John in a snap for that alien."

"That's my man." Yasmin snapped playfully. "I already called dibs."

"And anyway." Cheyenne clapped. "I thought you and John were broken up."

"We are taking a break, but we agreed not to see other people."

"Mhm." The two of them hummed in unison.

Yasmin looked at me. "You're not dating him are you?"

I nearly choked on my first bite of brownie. "N-no."

"But you want to huh?"

"It's not like that." I defended, swallowing.

"Why not." Cheyenne asked incredulously. "He's soooo hot."

"Because, I fought alongside him in a war. He's-he's a comrade."

"You got to see him in action." Marisol said dreamily.

"If I had legacies I would get to see him everyday." Yasmin pouted. "So unfair."

"Uh no." Brittany negated. "He is forbidden from dating a student, you're actually lucky you don't have a legacy."

"Ugh, that would make it so much hotter!"

"You're a teacher at the new academy now too, right?" Megan asked me.

"Not officially, no. I am working on finding a place there." I was halfway into the brownie, it was very flavorful.

"She went to Mexico to bring back Earth Garde. Like Teddy."

"Aw Teddy!" Cheyenne said. "He's is hot too."

"And so is his cousin." Brittany added. " Hidalgo."

"Are you into any of the guys you met?" Brittany asked me.

"No."

"Ugh." Yasmin groaned. "You're around all these super sexy guys, with a hot bod and you don't take advantage of it. You kill me."

"For real though." Marisol agreed.

I wanted to tell them about Eight. How amazing and funny he was...his gorgeous smile and gorgeous green eyes. These girls reminded me of the ones in Spain at St. Teresa's. Gabby and La Gorda. They had their tight clothes and pretty makeup. They loved to gossip. We sat there for several minutes to half an hour. I went in and out of listening to them gossip and squeal. Last I checked in they were having a conversation on whether or not Nine was a good kisser.

"Have you ever kissed one of your 'comrades'?" Cheyenne asked.

I could feel a wave of something ebbing at my consciousness. Maybe it was an affect of nearly sleeping the entire day. I was used to surviving on five hours of sleep a day, it made sense that I would feel a bit fatigued or something. I hoped I wouldn't sleep all day tomorrow. I really wanted to spend time with Ella. I missed Ella. She was so grown up now. I doubt she would appreciate listening to all these hot girls fantasizing about Nine. On the other hand maybe she should be here collaborating with this sort of girl talk, I bet it'd be good for her.

I was too far gone inside my head to notice everyone looking at each other. I didn't realize Cheyenne was speaking to me. Brittany pointed to the brownie with a sly grin, when I came too it was because everyone was giggling. I popped the rest of the brownie in my mouth. The table went wild.

"Oh my gosh!" Liz squealed. "Megan no, this is tuna fish."

"So?"

"So-it's a fish! That's cannibalism!"

"Elizabeth. You. Are. Not. A. Fish!"

"But I can hear their thoughts." She wept. "They don't like to be eaten."

"Don't let it die in vain, Liz." Brittany instructed. "You got to eat it."

"Marina babe. Are you feeling okay?" Yasmin asked.

"Yeah." I replied putting my hand on my head, it felt like it was stuffed with cotton.

"I asked if you have ever kissed on of your 'comrades'" Cheyenne tried again.

Cool as a cucumber I responded. "Yes. two of them."

The group squealed and I smiled. I was really beginning to like this girl talk.

"Details, details!"

"He was Number Eight. We searched for him in India-he went by the name Naveen while he was in hiding."

"But the kiss?" Cheyenne redirected.

"I kissed him for the first time during our first battle as a team-right after I had healed him. "

"Que romantico!" Marisol sighed.

"The last time I kissed him he faded away. The Lorien entity gave us one last moment together-before he-." My throat closed on me. The girls didn't seem to notice.

"He died?"

"He was murdered by Number Five."

"Noo."

"Right in front of me."

"Nooo."

The table was quiet. I was surprised by how calm I was. Brittany put her hand on my shoulder.

"You're so cold." She commented.

"Was he cute?" Yasmin asked, earning a glare from Brittany.

"He had dark curly hair." I described. "Emerald green eyes...his smile-oh it was indescribable. Just, when he smiled he lit up the room like sunshine. He was perfect. He could run on water, shape shift, teleport..."

"Awesome."

"I miss him."

"I bet."

"Who was the other guy you kissed? Nine?"

"No." I giggled.

"Who?"

"Number Four, John."

"Oh, I've seen him." Cheyenne said.

"He comes by the academy from time to time." Brittany commented.

"He is pretty cute too for a white boy." Yasmin declared.

"Isn't he technically not a white boy?" Marisol asked. "Since he isn't from earth."

"He looks like a white boy." Yasmin decided. "And he was raised in America."

I giggled at that. John was pretty tan actually. He had been in the sun a lot. I was really beginning to wonder what was going on with my head, was it something I ate? I didn't eat or drink anything Nine warned me about. Just macaroni and brownies. I blinked a few times, no matter how fast I blinked it felt so slow.

Brittany gave me a look of concern. "Marina, have you ever tried-."

The kitchen door swung open. "Hope there's still food in here." Kai called.

The table went quiet.

"Hey guys." Brittany greeted.

I turned to look behind me. Nine walked in with Kai and Joey.

"How's liz?" Kai asked.

"I think she's doing better."

"Rad!"

"Food food food!" Two more rowdy guys walked into the kitchen.

Cheyenne leaned to me. "Girl, you need to give me your number so we can go shopping."

"Shopping?" I muttered.

"Look, you're totally hot enough to pull off the 'Rouge wilderness chick' but you could do so much better."

"For real." Marisol agreed. "Do you own any skirts?"

Yasmin slid out of her chair and walked over to Nine. She began talking to him, earning a grin from him. I could see them out of a hanging mirror's reflection.

"I don't wear skirts." I told her.

"But you have the legs for it, all long and stuff. I have short legs and I still be wearing skirts."

I giggled somemore, Yasmin and Cheyenne joined in.

Yasmin moved in closer, she dangerously flipped her hair over her shoulder and started sliding her hand on Nine's arm.

"I have a sun dress you could try on too."

"Do you have a phone number?" Marisol asked.

"Yeah." I pulled my small phone out of my pocket and brought up the contacts screen. I heard Yasmin giggle.

Marisol quickly typed in her information.

"You'll only attract grungy guys with that style." Cheyenne warned me.

"Yeah. Like Joey."

"Ew." Marisol whispered.

We all looked up at Joey who was leaned up against the counted chugging a coke. He nearly spat it out when he noticed us all looking at him.

Marisol snorted and we all quickly turned back. I was shaking in my chair laughing.

"I freaking love Marina." Marisol cheered. "I added Cheyenne in your phone too. She handed it back to me. You can hit us up whenever you're ready or we can text you when we go out."

"Sounds good." I agreed, sliding the phone back into my pocket.

"Oh." Marisol nudged Cheyenne. "Look at our girl!"

I looked in the mirror to see Yasmin with both arms around Nine.

"I'm not one of your students." She murmured to Nine who chuckled. She tilted her head back and pressed her lips against Nine's. I felt my head spin, all of a sudden it was sensory overload. I could hear the voices of a hundred people mixed in with the thumping beat of the techno music playing down stairs. Footsteps, foots stomping, doors closing. My head felt so heavy, it felt like the world tilted all of sudden. I pushed out of the chair so fast it fell down with a loud clang. I leaned forward onto the table. Clenching the side of it tightly, trying to clear my head and failing.

"What the hell?" Someone shouted.

My heart hammered against my chest, I squeezed the table tighter. Nine was at my side. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Is she okay?" Marisol-I think-asked.

"I feel really funny." I said through clenched teeth.

"What feels funny?" He demanded.

"My head."

"Has-has she ever been high before?" Brittany asked.

"What did you give her?" Nine asked.

Kai was laughing hysterically.

"A brownie."

"How much?"

"A whole one."

"Did she know what you gave her?"

"No-I."

Nine groaned.

"I just offered it to her."

"What else did she have to eat?" He asked.

"Macaroni."

"Anything else?"

"No."

"She'll be okay." Kai laughed.

"I know she will be, but that is a lot for someone of her size." Nine agreed. "I'm taking her home."

"No." Marisol protested. "We're really getting along."

"Come on Marina." He pulled my hand from the table and held on to my side.

"Am I flying?" I asked, I felt so light that I may have gotten a new legacy.

"She asked if she was flying!" Kai hollered.

I chuckled.

"Bye Marina."

"Bye." I murmured.

Walking through the crowd of people in my new state of mind was highly enjoyable. It looked like so much fun. Dancing. It made me feel wonderful to see everyone living it up. I saved these people. Because of us they could dance all they wanted. I couldn't help it, I just laughed and grinned. I was so happy. I stopped for a moment to soak it in. Each person was a pulsing energy, I was starving for that energy. Nine seemed flustered. I laughed at his seriousness. I did something I would never of had the courage to do with a straight mind. I reached out my free hand and grabbed his. Nine looked really confused.

"We need to go." He shouted to me over the booming party. I shook my arm out of his grasp and grabbed his other hand.

"I want to dance." I called out.

I caught him off guard. He probably never danced before in his life. I had with Eight. I copied what Eight and I had done ages ago. I took and few steps back and then a few steps forward towards him. Then a few steps back again and then forward again. He surprised me by going along with it. When I was coming back in closer he spun me out and then back around. I spun him next, the best I could since he was taller than me. The height difference made our hands slip. Another guy came up beside me. He shouted and started jumping up and down pumping his fist. I laughed and joined him. This went on for a few minutes. We just enjoyed ourselves. I had to stop and catch my breath. Nine nudged me and started pushing through the crowd to the door. I followed him. Walking outside it felt as if I had cotton stuffed inside my ears. The loud music had deafened it a bit.

"That was so much fun!" I giggled.

Nine rolled his eyes. "You were supposed to be the good one."

His car was already started by the time we reached it.

"You are going to be so hungry in the morning."

I sat down on the warm seats and melted into them. "Ah."

"John is going to kill me."

"My head feels like lead." I murmured.

"Yep. I'll get you home."

I sighed really loud. "I don't want to go back to that mangy hotel..."

Nine was quiet for a moment. I pressed back into the seat as he accelerated.

"I can take you to my place, for the night."

"Okay." I agreed. Going home would just be a giant buzzkill. I felt a pool of sorrow just in reach. I didn't want it near me. I felt so so so so happy.

"They are some really cool people." I told him.

"Yeah, can't trust them for s***."

"Why not I asked."

Nine frowned.

"I tried to keep you away from bad stuff, I shouldn't have left your side. They are cool, but really reckless."

"I can take care of myself." I reminded him.

"Sure, you can. Just not when it comes to what you put in your mouth apparently."

I felt my anger flare a bit, but I exhaled it out. "Please, I don't want to argue."

Nine bit his tongue.

For the rest of the ride I sat back, floating around in my mindful bliss.

Nine's hotel suited him entirely. It was a tall building covered in shiny lights. Tall palm trees and glittering fountains. We walked up the spotless pavement and through some crystal clear windows. The lobby was bright white and gold. A giant chandelier was hung above some fancy white chairs, the rainbow lights danced around the room. I stuck my hand out to catch it. We crossed a bridge over a koi pond/ fountain. The orange and white fish chased each other around. Nine caught the elevator before it closed. The elevator box was a hexagon of crystal blue glass held together by polished gold metal. Nine pushed the Ninth button and we were lifted up. We stopped on the Sixth floor to let some people in. Nine greeted them gruffly. Then the elevator took off again, finally stopping at the right destination.

"This way." He led me to the right and we stopped at room 934. He placed his thumb on a sensor and I heard the bolt slide out of place. He swung the door open and I was at a loss for words. The marble floors reflected the high ceiling above.

"Wow."

There were tall potted plants and he had a medium sized fountain of his own. The curtains were drawn back, revealing the flashy city below. As if in a trance I walked over to the edge and looked out. Car lights trailed through the streets, Helicopters moved about the sky like shooting stars. I turned and moved to the overstuffed sofa seat that laid back like a lounge chair and stretched out across it.

"That's an amazing view." The crescent moon hung above the city like a half halo.

"It's not bad." He sniffed.

We stayed put for a moment. Both of us gazing into the life outside his window.

"How's your head?"

"It feels...numb I guess."

I felt something touch my shoulder. I looked and saw a bottle of water. I plucked it out from mid air. "Thanks."

I chugged the entire thing.

While I did that he disappeared into a back room. I continued to stare out.

"Do you want something to change into?" He called out to me.

"Do you have a nice selection from the things girls have left behind?" I called back and laughed.

"Uh no. But I have some pants that might fit you."

"I'm okay. Honest."

It was already Nine O'clock. "Are you going to bed?" I asked.

"After I take a shower. The bed in the back is ready if you want to lie down."

I heard a separate door open and close. A shower turning on. I tore myself from the view and went to the room. The bed was enormous and covered with giant pillows and thick comforters. I fell back onto it. Then I pulled back the edge and slipped underneath. Like a child I burrowed underneath the covers and lay there for several minutes.

 _Marina_ John's voice echoed in my head.

 _Yeah_

 _Five more hours to go._

 _How is everyone?_

 _Jetlagged_

 _I bet._

 _I hate planes. I'd jump out and fly home myself if I could._

 _Ha-ha you have to wait and go slow like everyone else._

 _Five is flying home_

I cringed at the thought of Five on the loose.

 _Sorry._

I heard Nine's shower cut off.

 _I'm ready for everyone to be home._

 _Where's home?_ John asked.

 _Where ever we are all together I suppose._

 _Your mind sounds different._

I thought of the brownie and Nine's reaction

 _You ate a pot brownie?_

 _Accident._

 _Wow._

The bathroom door swung open. I felt instantly silly for hiding under the covers.

 _You're in Nine's bed?_

 _Just for the night._

Silence.

 _John?_

 _"Marina?" Nine called._

I wiggled out of the covers. "I'm in here."

"Oh, I didn't see you." A remote floated over to Nine, who was wrapped in a towel. "What do you want to watch?"

"Uh." I called out to John again., then tried to think of a movie. "Do you have Elsa, er whatever that movie was?"

"Frozen."

"Yeah, the one that they were singing to me in the gym."

"How old are you again?"

I snuggled into the blankets. "Is it that childish of a movie?"

"I don't know, I have never watched it before either."

We waited in silence as it loaded. Finally 'Frozen' appeared in big letters across the giant tv screen opposite the bed. Nine sat in the lounge chair beside the bed. He tucked a pillow behind his head and covered up with a blanket. He was out cold a few minutes in. I sat and watched the cartoon play out. Touched by the beauty of ice powers that I could relate to. Not wanting to lose control and hurt the people closest to me. Losing her parents, still I was touched by how family oriented it was. I really missed Six and Ella through the show.

Sadly the euphoria of the night had dimmed a bit, I was still feeding off the good energy of the day. Tonight, I fell asleep not exactly happy-but content. That was a start.


End file.
